Fionn Curran

Life Festival was the big one for me – that was the first proper festival I went to. The first time I saw KETTAMA playing was a really special memory that stood out from that. I remember thinking after it: ‘I want to become a DJ.' Longitude was my next festival, probably the same year. I saw The Martinez Brothers at that, which was another really fond memory.

The first festival I played was Life, at one of the smaller stages there. It must have been the one right after Covid. And last year, I closed out the Terminus stage Electric Picnic. That was a weird moment, because it was such a big tent. Playing in front of such a big crowd was just crazy.

There's higher energy at festivals, especially in the daytime. It always feels more intense, so I definitely prefer playing at festivals than in venues.

I’m playing a good few international ones this year. It is different though – because sometimes they're a bit more chill abroad, and Irish crowds are generally pretty high-energy!

Fionn Curran plays Outset Festival, Dublin (May 4 & 5); Live at the Marquee, Cork (June 7); NRG Tenerife Weekender (June 14-16); Sea Sessions, Bundoran (June 22); Outset Festival, Mallorca (July 13); and Emerge, Belfast (August 24 & 25).

Read the full Festival Special in the current issue of Hot Press: